PUNKS

If only Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. were alive to witness the opening of PUNKS, as a posse of WeHo (West Hollywood) drag- and drama-queens rate the homoerotic appeal of prominent gangsta rappers, in the first insider comedy to capture the vibe of the African-American gay subculture. Marcus, a busy twentysomething glamour photographer, has a close and supportive circle of pals, but romance-wise he’s so lonely that he compulsively undergoes repeat tests at the local HIV clinic, just to pretend that he’s got a relationship, any relationship. Marcus isn’t attracted to any of his sexy photo-studio models near as much as he is to his new neighbor of Trinidadian descent, Darby Cannon. Trouble is, while Darby has no problem with Marcus’ gender preference, he seems to be doing just fine with his pretty girlfriend. For solace Marcus and his friends hang out with the divas at their local lip-sync club, Miss Smokies, and share stories of love and heartache. Still, Marcus can’t stop thinking about Darby… PUNKS throbs with classic funk, disco, and R&B beats. You may never view the Diana Ross soaper “Mahogany” the same way again.